KD Rhine River boats cruise from Düsseldorf on sightseeing, dinner, and party excursions during the Christmas market period and on New Year’s Eve. More departures are possible from nearby Cologne.
Köln-Düsseldorfer (KD) offers sightseeing pleasure cruises on the Rhine River from Düsseldorf during the Christmas market Advent period. These cruises, often with live music, last from one to three hours with food usually optional. On New Year’s Eve, special Silvester party boats allow revelers to welcome in the New Year on the Rhine. Book afternoon cruises online. Many more Rhine cruises are available from nearby Cologne.
In 2024, KD Rhine River boats cruise from Düsseldorf on most days during the Advent and Christmas market period, except Mondays, and at least two party boats will cruise on New Year’s Eve.
Christmas Market Rhine River Boat Cruises from Düsseldorf
Sightseeing pleasure boat cruises on the Rhine River are possible during the Christmas market period in Düsseldorf. However, fewer boats depart from Düsseldorf than from nearby Cologne.
KD’s Christmas market riverboat pleasure cruises from Düsseldorf are usually available Tuesdays to Sundays from late November until the final Advent Sunday preceding Christmas.
In 2024, the first Sunday of Advent is only 1 December but the KD cruise season is from 22 November to 22 December 2024.
The main pleasure boat cruises available in Düsseldorf during the advent and Christmas market season are:
- Two-hour cruises late afternoon, every day from Tuesday to Sunday. The cruise time is usually 15:30 to 17:30, so arrival is after dark. Food is optional; (Book Online)
- Three-hour evening dinner cruises, all-inclusive buffet, from Tuesday to Saturday; and
- Brunch cruises on Sundays.
New Year’s Eve Party Rhine Boat Cruises from Düsseldorf
Special Silvester (New Year’s Eve) party boats cruise on the Rhine from Düsseldorf to welcome the New Year in style. Düsseldorf has a modern skyline and at midnight sailing on the Rhine offers great views of the private fireworks Germans like to fire off to start each new year with a bang.
The party boats are all-inclusive package deals with live music, buffet dinner, unlimited drinks, and Sekt at midnight. Prices are around €230 on the new MS RheinGalexie (or €140 for the MS Asbach disco boat without meals). The KD party boats usually leave Düsseldorf at around 8 pm on December 31 and return to port around 1 am on New Year’s Day.
KD also has New Year’s Eve party boats departing from Cologne (Köln), Koblenz, Mainz, and Frankfurt am Main.
More frequent Christmas market and other winter sightseeing pleasure cruises on the Rhine River are available from nearby Cologne, as well as from Rüdesheim and St Goar / St Goarshausen in the Middle Rhine (Loreley) region.
More on the Rhine River in Germany
Day-Trip Excursions and Pleasure Cruises on the Rhine River:
- Middle Rhine (Loreley Valley) — UNESCO World Cultural Heritage-listed Area and the best part of the Rhine River for short and all-day boat cruises:
- cruise from Rüdesheim (cruise lines), Koblenz (cruise lines), winter & Christmas
- from Frankfurt — fast trains to the Rhine, or slow boat to the Rhine
- from Mainz and Wiesbaden
- Savings Tips, Best Cruise Lines
- Lower Rhine — Cologne, Düsseldorf, Bonn to Linz
- Special events: Cruises to Rhine in Flames Fireworks, Christmas and New Year’s Cruises in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, and Rüdesheim
- Moselle River Cruises (Cochem, Bernkastel-Kues, Trier, Koblenz, Burg Eltz)
- Cruises on the Main River in Frankfurt (or better By Train from Frankfurt to the Best Rhine Cruises)
- Cruises from Worms, Mannheim, Heidelberg (on the Neckar River)
- Cruises from Speyer
- Rhinefalls (Rhine Waterfalls, Schaffhausen, Stein am Rhein, Kreuzlingen) in Switzerland
Tips and Savings on Day-Trip Rhine Cruises
- The best part of the Rhine for day-trip excursion cruises in the Middle Rhine between Rüdesheim / Bingen and Koblenz. See Savings Tips and the Best Cruise Lines cruising in the Loreley Valley.
- Check train times for Germany (and most of Europe) at German Railways.
